not only had he made the right choice not to tell his brother about his being adopted. He didn't want anything to change the relationship they shared.
Seth lay in his bed thinking a long time about his past and his family, but soon realized that what was done was done, so he instead focused on what lay ahead. Though his life was already irrevocably changed he was aware that starting tomorrow their lives would never be the same. Their journey wouldn’t take but two weeks, first winding south through the foothills of the mountains, then across the plains following the Rapagalon river ever south to their destination, the capital city of Valdadore. They would pass through, or at least near to several villages and towns along the way. It would be their first venture away from home without their father. At least they would be together. Seth imagined their journey south, imagining the many things they would see, people they might meet. Seth slowly drifted away from consciousness, drifting as he did into dreams of his own making, his subconscious mind bringing unconscious acceptance to whatever might lay ahead.
Seth found himself in the kitchen of the inn. The cooking fires were ablaze, warming the room to an almost uncomfortable level. His father could be heard in the common room speaking with guests. The wind blew outside, and rain hammered the roof. These were all very common memories to Seth, after all, often when the weather got bad all their neighbors would come and visit with one another in the common rooms at the inn. But still something was out of place that Seth could not place his finger on. The door separating the common room to the kitchen swung open just then, and the crackle of the cooking fires was drowned out beneath the sound of several boisterous conversations. A young woman entered the kitchen, smiling at him. She was beautiful with long brown hair falling around her shoulders in loose curls. Her skin was fair, the color of fresh milk. Her eyes too seemed to be smiling at him, enchanting him in their green depths. It was then that Seth realized what it was before that he couldn’t find. Nothing was missing, nothing even out of place. What was wrong about this room was its size. Everything here seemed overly large, and it only took a second for it to dawn on him. The room wasn’t large, He was small. He was a child, barely four years old, and the beautiful woman who stood before him smiling was his mother. He concentrated as hard as was possible to commit her face, her smile, even her scent to memory. Her expression changed then, changing to a look of concern. She must be wondering why I’m staring at her. Then her expression changed again, pulling her eyebrows together, her lips into a straight line, and scrunching up her eyes in thought. I knew it!! Garret got it from mom. Seeming to come to a conclusion, she knelt down bringing herself down until their eyes were level. She again smiled at him knowingly.
“Seth honey, don’t worry about what is coming. Everything is going to be just fine.” She still smiled though her eyes took on a look of concern. “Why don’t you go get in bed and get some sleep? Garret is already resting.”
Seth nodded once and headed for the door. Pausing as he opened it, turning around he met her gaze again.
“I love you mom.” Seth barely managed whispering the words.
“I love you too.” She replied, a look of deeper meaning and understanding on her face. “Now, run along to bed.”
Again Seth nodded and turned, walking through the door he was greeted with familiar faces in the bright room. Then everything seemed to swirl, sucking the light from the room, encasing everyone in shadow. The light continued to drain until Seth was lost in darkness. He knew it was just a dream, yet he wished it to continue, knowing all the while that it would not. The dream, perhaps the only memory he would ever have of his mother was over. He let the darkness consume him then, his subconscious taking over, and fell into a deep restful sleep.
Garret too found himself dreaming, an all too real dream. He stood upon a plain wearing brightly polished armor. In his hand, the sword Jack had made him only now it was different. Now he held it familiarly, like he had been carrying it for years. Ahead of him lay bodies, heaped into piles, burning. The ground around him was stained with blood, gore lay across the land. Dismembered body parts, peoples’ entrails, a scalp here, and an ear there, it was a vision of death. Yet behind him, the plains teemed with life, hundreds of lives maybe thousands. A force to be reckoned with was gathered of the bravest, most courageous men the world had ever seen. Some of the most powerful fighters ever to be amassed. They stood for a purpose, they stood for him, with him, awaiting his command. Across the plain there stood another great force. A mass of black armor, crimson pennants, hulking Trolls, twisted Orcs, massive Ogres, and unnaturally strong humans stood to oppose them. Their blades dripping with blood, they stood in no formation, each creature edging the invisible line that held them at bay. At their head, central to this inhuman army stood a man. He was a ghastly sight, covered in gore his armor seemed to be made of blood. Spikes jutted from his armor from every joint, his helm fashioned in the likeness of a ravenous wolf. In one hand he held a blackened evil sword consumed in unnatural power, in the other a staff of bleached bone, stained red from human blood. His eyes, even from this distance could be clearly seen. Two crimson orbs danced behind his skull mask, taking in the force across the plane moving from one extreme end to the other. The eyes darted from foe to foe until they came to rest on Garret. They met gazes, both refusing to blink, both refusing to give anything that the other might take for weakness. Looking into those eyes, even at this distance, made Garret feel sick to his stomach. Something had to be done about this aberration. Something would be done. Garret raised his sword above his head, looking over his shoulder to his comrades. He let the sword swing down in front of him to point at his enemy, and with this unspoken command he yelled at the top of his lungs.
“For Valdadore!”
The plains echoed his battle cry as a thousand voices joined his own and rumbled the very earth beneath them. “For Valdadore!”
The image shifted then, as both armies charged one another. First the grass went from blood smeared green to black, and then the sky went black as well. All traces of light were lost, and with it, all sound. The image faded from Garret’s mind leaving him in darkness. Leaving him to ponder the horrible sights he had witnessed. Leaving him alone in his mind, in the dark comfort that was his subconscious, to get some needed rest.
Both brothers slept restfully within their own beds, within their own minds. Neither would again dream this night. Both would remember their dreams though, all too well would they remember them. Perhaps one day, they would understand the meaning, if dreams held any meaning at all.
Chapter 2
Both of the twins awoke to the knock at their door, and both in turn mumbled some sort of reply. The door cracked open a bit and James poked his large head around the door.
“Get moving boys, if you want to get in a good day of travel today you need to be ready by sunrise.” James stated. Removing his head from the door he closed it gently, turned and walked back down the hall, his head hung low, and shoulders slumping. Today was not going to be a good day.
The twins quickly rose from their beds; Garret lit a lantern, and placed it in the window sill. Whether it was nervousness or anxiousness that guided them, both were dressed more quickly than was usual. Seth sat on the end of his bed pulling on his new boots. Lacing them up tightly, he looked across the room at his brother who was doing the same.
“Well I guess this is it.” Seth said in a tone of resignation.
“Yeah.” Was the only response Garret could muster.
Good. Seth thought. At least Garret is finally getting the picture.
Both boys rose from their beds, and exchanged compliments on their new attire. Garret did indeed look like royalty in his blue and silver travel garb, with his sword already sheathed at his hip, and dagger at his waist. Seth reached down to pick up his belt and new sword, and threaded the belt through the scabbard. He then did the same with the dagger and strapped the belt around his waist. It all felt a bit heavy, almost uncomfortable. Garret looked Seth up and down in appreciation and laughed loudly.
“What?” Seth demanded. “Did I put something on wrong?”
“No it’s just funny seeing you like that.” Garret continued laughing.
